Ottoman Cabbage Rolls, winner for all the fam-bam & so very filling

Felt like something filling, had a half cabbage in the fridge. Thought of cabbage rolls but after all that Russian cabbage soup, just wanted some different flavour .. welcome a Turkish spin on cabbage rolls. So, if you like your kebabs, dips, salads etc. & all that Turkish flavour, give this one a burl, you won’t be disappointed. 

The cabbage leaves are a bit of a muck around, but after that, the rest of the recipe is super simple and quick. A good one to cook the night before as flavours do develop overnight. I served this to all the men in the extended family & they all liked it, so thumbs up from them as well !

Ottoman Cabbage Rolls

2015-08-20 21:05:37

Yields 10

A bit of work preparing the cabbage for rolling, but a delicious and filling main meal that is also very family friendly. Using Turkish style flavours is reminiscent of sarma or the Greek dolmades flavourings rather than the traditional Eastern European recipe.

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Prep Time

25 min

Cook Time

1 hr

Prep Time

25 min

Cook Time

1 hr

For the rolls

1. 1 small whole cabbage
2. 2 cups cauliflower, riced
3. 1 tbs lemon juice
4. 1 tsp black pepper
5. 1 tsp cumin
6. 2 tbs tomato paste
7. 2 medium onions, finely chopped
8. 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
9. 2 medium tomatoes, diced
10. 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped (or 2 tbs dried mint)
11. 1 tsp paprika
12. 1 tsp salt or stock powder

For the sauce

1. 1 tsp of paprika
2. 2 tbs tomato paste
3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
4. 1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped finely (or 2 tbs dried mint)
5. 1/4 cup lemon juice
6. Salt and pepper to season

Instructions

1. Cut out the base and core of the cabbage with a shape knife. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the hollowed out cabbage and boil for five minutes. The outer leaves will start peeling off one by one (see pic). Take them out of the water as they come off with some tongs. Be careful as the water is hot and can run off the cabbage leaves. Drain on a tray lined with paper towel.
2. Mix cauliflower rice, tomato paste, lemon juice, black pepper, cumin and salt (and any other spices you prefer). Add in chopped onions, parsley and tomatoes and mix again until well combined. You can do this in a food processor, just keep it chunky and not liquid like.
3. Lay the cabbage leaves on a chopping board or bench. Cut each side of the white thick stem to make two easy to roll leaves (see pic).
4. Place about 1 tbs of the cauliflower rice filling in the bottom center of each leave. Roll the bottom of a leaf over the filling, fold in the sides, and continue rolling forward tightly (see pics). Repeat with the remaining leaves.
5. Combine all the sauce ingredients together.
6. Add half of the sauce to the bottom of a the large saucepan you used for the cabbage leaves. Lay the cabbage rolls on top and put the rest of the sauce on top. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cover.
7. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the rolls are tender. Serve sprinkled with extra mint and parsley and serve with some cauliflower mash if you fancy.

Notes

1. Freezes well, rolls help to make your portions.
2. Compliments a cauliflower mash perfectly.
3. For family friendly meal, make your rolls first, then add a small amount of chicken or beef mince the rest of them. Cook in the same pot and your rolls will pick up some of the meaty flavour in the process. Yummy.
4. You can also place a piece of foil with a small slit in it directly over the rolls, which does get a more tender result than simply covering with the saucepan lid.

By Joni Condos

Opti Cook https://opticook.org/

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